European Union will invest more resources in monitoring Russian trains, says von der Leyen.

247 - In a press conference held this Monday (1st), together with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, stated that the European Union (EU) plans to expand the monitoring of trains traveling between mainland Russia and its Kaliningrad region, which is isolated between Lithuania and Poland. Lithuania, described by von der Leyen as a "frontline state", has faced geopolitical and economic pressure from Moscow, mainly due to its strategic location between Belarus and the Russian exclave.

Von der Leyen detailed that Lithuania has already received a portion of the funds allocated to strengthen surveillance on its border with Kaliningrad, which is one of the focal points of tension in relations between the EU and Russia. "Lithuania has a €357 million EU program focused on border management and visa policy," stated the President of the European Commission. She highlighted that the European Union has consistently reinforced these investments, directing resources towards monitoring trains circulating between Russia and Kaliningrad, as well as acquisitions such as the purchase of helicopters.

Lithuania's partial blockade of Kaliningrad, imposed after the start of the conflict in Ukraine in 2022, generated considerable tensions. Lithuania decided to halt the transit of goods that fall under EU sanctions, leading Moscow to accuse Vilnius of implementing a total blockade of its exclave region. Although the situation has been partially resolved with the reopening of railway lines, security concerns in the region persist.

In her speech, von der Leyen also mentioned the European Commission's proposal to triple investments in migration and border management in the EU's next long-term budget, as well as increasing the bloc's military spending fivefold. In July, Brussels presented a €2 trillion (approximately US$2,33 trillion) budget proposal for the period 2028-2034, with a significant increase in military spending, aligning with the European Security and Financial Strategy (SAFE) initiative. The EU has committed to allocating up to €800 billion (approximately US$937 billion) by 2030 to finance this strategy.

The Russian government, in turn, rejects accusations that it is preparing aggressive plans against European Union countries, calling Western allegations "nonsense" and accusing Brussels of spreading fear as justification for increasing military budgets. Russia has reiterated that the actions of Lithuania and the EU reflect a hostile stance and an attempt to further isolate the country on the international stage.